The always tasty casserole

With the changing weather we’ve been having lately, a person doesn’t know whether to fire up the grill or turn on the oven to fix a meal. When the temp gets in the high 30’s or 40’s some get the “itch” to get the grill going in their garage (with the door open). That wouldn’t be us as we, or anyone else in the park, do not have garages. That took care of that idea. So, it’s recipes using the oven, as in casserole cooking.

Many recipes can be prepared the night before or early in the day, refrigerated, then baked an hour or so before meal time.

ENCHILADA

CASSEROLE

1-1/2 lbs., lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1-1/2 c. picante sauce

1-10 oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped 

1 red sweet pepper, diced

1 T. lime juice - can use lemon juice if you don’t have lime

3/4 salt

12 corn tortillas, divided

1 c. sour crem

3/4 c. each, shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, mixed together

1/2 - 3/4 c. sliced black olives

Shredded lettice - optional

In a large skillet, brown burger with onion and garlic. Mix in next seven ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Arrange 6 tortillas on bottom and up sides of lightly greased, or sprayed, 9x13” baking dish, overlapping if necessary. Top with half the meat mixture. Arrange rest of tortillas over lapping as necessary. Spread sour cream evenly over tortillas (Drop small blobs here and there...spreading is easier). Carefully top with rest of meat mixture. *Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 10 minutes; garnish with olives. Serve with addtional picante sauce.

Makes six - eight servings.

Casserole can be refrigerated up to six hours. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

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CHICKEN - RICE BAKE

6 medium chicken breasts

1/2 to 3/4 c. flour

1/4 t. each, salt and pepper

3 T. butter or margarine or oil (I use olive oil)

1 c. uncooked long grain rice

1/2 c. diced onion

1 c. sliced celery - sliced about 1/4” thick

1/2 c. water

1 - 10 1/2 oz. can chicken broth

Scant 1/2 t. each, salt, dried oregano leaves and dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 c. toasted, sliced almonds

2 T. snipped parsley

Cheese sauce - recipe follows

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow pan or pie plate. Melt butter in large skillet. Coat chicken breasts in flour mixture; brown in butter on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. Add onion and garlic; saute until tender. (Add a little more butter if needed to cook onions). Stir in next 8 ingredients. Turn into a 9x13” baking pan. Top with chicken breasts. Cover tightly with foil; bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or till rice is tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with almonds and parsley. Serve with cheese sauce.

Makes six servings.

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CHEESE SAUCE

Over low heat, melt 2 T. butter or margarine. Blend in 2 T. flour with 1/8 t. salt and couple dashes white pepper. Slowly add 1-1/4 c. milk, stirring constantly (I warm the milk a little). Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture thickens and bubbles. Stir in 1 cup shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

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PORK CHOPS AND POTATO CASSEROLE

6 bone-in pork chops (3/4” thick)

1 T. canola or vegetable oil

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3 T. ketchup

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. each, salt and pepper

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2” wedges

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

In a skillet, brown chops in oil. Transfer to a greased 9x13” baking pan. In a large bowl, combine next 5 ingredients, mixing well. Fold in potatoes and onions. Spoon over chops. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Makes six servings.

Note: If you have “hearty” eaters you may want to fix a couple more chops.

Thought for the Day: If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.

With the changing weather we’ve been having lately, a person doesn’t know whether to fire up the grill or turn on the oven to fix a meal. When the temp gets in the high 30’s or 40’s some get the “itch” to get the grill going in their garage (with the door open). That wouldn’t be us as we, or anyone else in the park, do not have garages. That took care of that idea. So, it’s recipes using the oven, as in casserole cooking.

Many recipes can be prepared the night before or early in the day, refrigerated, then baked an hour or so before meal time.

ENCHILADA

CASSEROLE

1-1/2 lbs., lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1-1/2 c. picante sauce

1-10 oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed well

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped 

1 red sweet pepper, diced

1 T. lime juice - can use lemon juice if you don’t have lime

3/4 salt

12 corn tortillas, divided

1 c. sour crem

3/4 c. each, shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, mixed together

1/2 - 3/4 c. sliced black olives

Shredded lettice - optional

In a large skillet, brown burger with onion and garlic. Mix in next seven ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Arrange 6 tortillas on bottom and up sides of lightly greased, or sprayed, 9x13” baking dish, overlapping if necessary. Top with half the meat mixture. Arrange rest of tortillas over lapping as necessary. Spread sour cream evenly over tortillas (Drop small blobs here and there...spreading is easier). Carefully top with rest of meat mixture. *Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 10 minutes; garnish with olives. Serve with addtional picante sauce.

Makes six - eight servings.

Casserole can be refrigerated up to six hours. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

+++++

CHICKEN - RICE BAKE

6 medium chicken breasts

1/2 to 3/4 c. flour

1/4 t. each, salt and pepper

3 T. butter or margarine or oil (I use olive oil)

1 c. uncooked long grain rice

1/2 c. diced onion

1 c. sliced celery - sliced about 1/4” thick

1/2 c. water

1 - 10 1/2 oz. can chicken broth

Scant 1/2 t. each, salt, dried oregano leaves and dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 c. toasted, sliced almonds

2 T. snipped parsley

Cheese sauce - recipe follows

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow pan or pie plate. Melt butter in large skillet. Coat chicken breasts in flour mixture; brown in butter on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. Add onion and garlic; saute until tender. (Add a little more butter if needed to cook onions). Stir in next 8 ingredients. Turn into a 9x13” baking pan. Top with chicken breasts. Cover tightly with foil; bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or till rice is tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with almonds and parsley. Serve with cheese sauce.

Makes six servings.

+++++

CHEESE SAUCE

Over low heat, melt 2 T. butter or margarine. Blend in 2 T. flour with 1/8 t. salt and couple dashes white pepper. Slowly add 1-1/4 c. milk, stirring constantly (I warm the milk a little). Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture thickens and bubbles. Stir in 1 cup shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

+++++

PORK CHOPS AND POTATO CASSEROLE

6 bone-in pork chops (3/4” thick)

1 T. canola or vegetable oil

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3 T. ketchup

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. each, salt and pepper

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2” wedges

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

In a skillet, brown chops in oil. Transfer to a greased 9x13” baking pan. In a large bowl, combine next 5 ingredients, mixing well. Fold in potatoes and onions. Spoon over chops. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Makes six servings.

Note: If you have “hearty” eaters you may want to fix a couple more chops.

Thought for the Day: If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.